The Shell-Helios,Vitol deal is done at about $2.4 billion to acquire Shell's African assets in about 19 countries Kenya included though Shell will still be a minority shareholder. This will create one of the largest oil distributors in Africa.
IMHO Vitol being an oil trader and with a global footing and Helios with the finances and African experience holding these assets under one company will create a huge competition for other OMC's trying to create a footing in Africa e.g. Kk. Remember they are not shedding off the Shell brand name and in Kenya Shell has already a 17% market share. What do you think Wazuans?

I think the Vitol deal is good for KK in Kenya... A big & powerful player can join hands with KK to fight for 'Haki Yetu' with/against KPC, KPRL & MoE.

What I worry about is the political connections some claim that Helios has... and KK does not...

Who knows more about Helios?

Are these the same guys who invested in EB a while ago? If so, then they are serious investors in Africa and might also be very well connected..... we know the circles around EB so for them to be allowed to invest, then they must be well known in the right circles....

@Wendz is right...

Helios has/manages numerous Funds. So one of the Funds may be composed of Kenya's {corrupt?) politically connected elites.

So they use Helios [out of Nigeria] to 'invest' in Kenya. This includes EB & Shell...

I find the timing of the investment into Shell suspicious i.e. just before 2012... Could it be a way of 'officially' entrenching their interests in Kenya's lucrative [& shady] oil sector?

True Helios has got some powerful financial & political connections not only in Kenya but around the world. They've been linked with: Madeline Albright (Former US Secretary Of State), George Soros (Soros Fund Management LLC), Jacob Rothschild (Has a fund in London with assets over$2.6 billion). Madeline is also a shareholder in Wananchi Group through Emerging Capital Partners.
In Kenya when they invested in Equity as the single most largest shareholder, they were given a nine year exemption of non-disclosure of any interested parties till July 2016. Now this act alone speaks volumes on its connections as Kimunya had to bar CBK from knowing the shareholders, who's that powerful and does not want to be known as an investor in Equity(why hide under a veil?) All the three 'known partners' sit on the board of Equity Bank. These guys are investing almost everywhere within Africa and are getting more ghost investors/partners everyday.

If you look closely at most of these PE funds, you'll realise that they've got other 'funds' invested in them and most of these 'funds' are registered in Mauritius of which most are GBL 1 companies. Corruption & narcotics money 'legally' laundered. Money grows anonymity maintained!